Head coach John Tortorella has tried everything to get his group going offensively. He’s benched players, switched up lines, used positive reinforcement, used negative reinforcement…but nothing’s really worked.

Now, he’s turning to divine intervention.

Q. In this series you got three goals from Kreider, an empty-netter from Callahan. The rest of your top six hasn’t been able to get a goal. What can you do to get those guys going?

COACH TORTORELLA: Pray. I don’t know what else to tell you. We’re going to keep on trying to play, pray, and hopefully something good happens to them.

That New York’s made it this far with so little from its offensive stars is amazing, though we are seeing a similar situation unfold in Phoenix.

Ray Whitney led the Coyotes in regular season scoring with 77 points, but through 15 games sits a distant fifth (with seven points). Radim Vrbata led the ‘Yotes in goalscoring with 35 — 11th-most in the NHL — but has fallen almost completely silent in the playoffs with just two markers thus far.

Of course, the “Phoenix model” isn’t one to emulate…especially with the way the Western Conference final has unfolded.

Boyle hasn’t been the same since the concussion. And to think there was no suspension; thanks Shanny.

teaspoon1731 - May 22, 2012 at 8:17 PM

I was thinking that the other day. I’m sure he’s playing through some residual concussion symptoms purely because it’s playoffs. Same way I’m sure Callahan is pretty banged up, cus he hasn’t been the same since the Ottawa series.

amonte13 - May 22, 2012 at 5:46 PM

You forgot Mitchell, who hasn’t scored in more than 50 games(yet, until recently, was getting PP time).